A MAN appeared in court today charged with the abduction and murder of Andre Nunes, who vanished without trace almost two years ago.

Michael Joseph Weldon, of Toll House Road, in Rednal, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth during the short hearing before Birmingham magistrates.

The 55-year-old was charged on Saturday night as police continued to exhume human remains found at a house at the centre of a search for the former male model.

The remains, said not to be fully intact, were found at a detached country house known as Moorfields, in Lilley Green Road, Alvechurch, Worcestershire, on Thursday.

It is expected the operation to recover the bones will be completed tomorrow.

They will then be transported to a Forensic Science Service lab for scientists to begin a lengthy identification process to see if they are the remains of 47-year-old Nunes, who went missing from his home in Abdon Avenue, Weoley Castle, in September 2005.

Andre's anguished family were in court for the hearing.

They are being kept up to date with the developments but it could be two weeks before identification can be confirmed.

Weldon, who has short spiked grey hair and a beard and was dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, blue t-shirt and jeans, was remanded in custody to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on August 20.

Meanwhile, the owner of the house appeared before magistrates on Saturday charged with three counts of possessing prohibited firearms.

Michael Oliver, of Lilley Green Road was charged with having an Army-style SA80 assault rifle, a shotgun and a sawn-off shotgun.

The illegal cache of weapons was allegedly found at his house after police swooped on the property last Tuesday as part of the two-year investigation in the disappearance of Andre.

Oliver, 51, was remanded in custody.

A 48-year-old woman arrested with Oliver has been released on police bail.